Chronic Crises

Overview & Synopsis

The book argues that we are living in a world of chronic crises. It investigates six such crises, characterized by their elusive and prolongated end-phases, and examines the social and political consequences of when the end-phase of a crisis is characterized not by a return to post-crisis “normalcy” but instead by a permanent state of continued crisis dynamics. The six crises are chronic in different ways, and the book is structured according to three types of chronic crises: Seething chronic crises, represented by famine and multiple starvation deaths, where the crises seethe amidst extreme deprivation that obscures the crises’ beginnings and ends. Perpetual chronic crises are characterized by elusive beginnings and ends stretching decades, where people live in the shadows of uncertain futures, as exemplified by antimicrobial resistance and climate change. Transitional chronic crises in the form of two pandemics, COVID-19 and HIV/AIDS, have transitioned from acute emergencies to endemic issues despite their continued manifestation of adverse impacts. The distinct prolongated temporalities of these chronic crises shape people’s vulnerabilities and behavior. For each type of chronic crisis, the book first investigates their underlying temporal dynamics, their impact on inequalities globally and across social groups, and how different social groups live through the crises. Second, the book analyzes how the unique chronic crisis temporalities influence policymakers’ attention and response, their ability and incentives to put chronic crises on the political agenda, and the political prospects for implementing effective policies. The book ends with some practical implications of working with chronic crises.